Ex-Church of Christ Support Board

Two things have happened lately that really stick out as being so "judgy". The first was a coc sign that "Peace on earth is a decision, not an event" or at least that's what I remember. I'm thinking, what? According to the person who put up the sign. To me, it just smacks of telling "us" (sinners/lost, according to them, because we're not in the coc) what to do...as if they know everything and we are all so wrong. The second was a meme on Facebook that "it takes 90 gallons to baptize a Christian and 9 drops of rain to stop them from coming to church". I was taught when in the coc that you weren't a Christian until you came up out of the water, I never heard of them baptizing a Christian. Besides that, I was never sure of my salvation. And of course the judgy-ness of 9 drops of rain keeping somebody from coming to church, because all of the perfect people who would never let anything like that stop them. Some people in the coc just can't eat crackers right for me.

You are right. The CofC is very judgmental. I was raised in that mindset and was guilty of that myself. So must of what I said and did came back to haunt me when the very things for which I judged others happened in my family’s life. I learned a hard lesson.

I was in the Church of christ for twenty years and am still arrogant and judgemental.

Legalism, judging others, and an strong emphasis on sin is common in all fundamentalist versions of Christianity. I think believing the Bible is literally and historically true is the likely source for that kind of thinking. That often leads to people believing the Bible is God in written form. That leads to the Bible becoming an object of worship, and I think that is prevalent in the Churches of Christ.

Cootie Brown wrote:Legalism, judging others, and an strong emphasis on sin is common in all fundamentalist versions of Christianity. I think believing the Bible is literally and historically true is the likely source for that kind of thinking. That often leads to people believing the Bible is God in written form. That leads to the Bible becoming an object of worship, and I think that is prevalent in the Churches of Christ.

And yet, ironically, the bible says "judge not that ye be not condemned". So there's a blatant disregard for scripture when fundamentalists are judging others.

To be fair, though, we all do it...other faiths caution against it as well. Trying not to judge others is a discipline within itself. We can't know what someone else is really going through, so it's best to mind our own business and just try to focus on being a better person.

Ivy wrote: And yet, ironically, the bible says "judge not that ye be not condemned". So there's a blatant disregard for scripture when fundamentalists are judging others.

To be fair, though, we all do it...other faiths caution against it as well. Trying not to judge others is a discipline within itself. We can't know what someone else is really going through, so it's best to mind our own business and just try to focus on being a better person.

Ah, yes, but when I was CoC'er I had learned to point out that the passage adds that it's because you'll be judged with the same judgment you're using, and there's another passage that says "judge righteous judgment". There's always a "but." Like "it's harder for a rich man to go to Heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle," BUT! (followed by a caveat asserting that rich people in the CoC are more likely to end up in Heaven than everyone else).

I finally took the "don't judge" passage to heart even when I was still in the CoC. Knowing people in other denominations and religions, especially working with quite a few Muslims and Hindus, and with people who were nominally Christian but not very religious, made me realize that most everyone is good and is doing the best they can.

And after I deconverted I really began to understand that even the people who were judgy or otherwise difficult were doing the best they could with the information they had. Hey, I had been there, and I was never a bad person -- just sadly misinformed!

Kitty wrote:Two things have happened lately that really stick out as being so "judgy". The first was a coc sign that "Peace on earth is a decision, not an event" or at least that's what I remember. I'm thinking, what? According to the person who put up the sign. To me, it just smacks of telling "us" (sinners/lost, according to them, because we're not in the coc) what to do...as if they know everything and we are all so wrong. The second was a meme on Facebook that "it takes 90 gallons to baptize a Christian and 9 drops of rain to stop them from coming to church". I was taught when in the coc that you weren't a Christian until you came up out of the water, I never heard of them baptizing a Christian. Besides that, I was never sure of my salvation. And of course the judgy-ness of 9 drops of rain keeping somebody from coming to church, because all of the perfect people who would never let anything like that stop them. Some people in the coc just can't eat crackers right for me.

I was taught that in order to be a Christian, you had to attend church 3 times a week or you would not be saved.

As Lerk noted, there is always a “but” in the Bible. It seems for every verse that offers hope and assurance, there is an offsetting verse that cast doubt and threatens condemnation.

You are safe and secure in Christ by faith not works, BUT, not all that say unto him Lord, Lord, will He recognize. The Bible says He will say, “I NEVER knew you.” to some of those that thought they were safe and secure in Him.

As the c of C said, “You can NEVER be sure that you’re saved.” And that is a true statement.

Cootie Brown wrote: As the c of C said, “You can NEVER be sure that you’re saved.” And that is a true statement.

I was definitely taught that you could never be sure. Children were definitely "saved", but you couldn't be sure when that
period of safety ended.

I can remember being taught that no one can know if they themselves or someone else is saved, ever. I can still hear the words "we just don't know, we just don't know" in reference to someone's funeral. I just see that as a religious belief foreign to Christianity, but it's really real and out there. Can't think of a more miserable life to lead when you have been indoctrinated that you've got only your own works to hang your hat on and your salvation is a waiting game for the points to be added up after you die.